Nick Kyrgios walks off court after losing first set at Shanghai Masters

[Abdullah719]

Nick Kyrgios has apologised to fans after quitting his first-round match at the Shanghai Masters, insisting it was because of injury rather a row with the umpire that saw him receive two warnings.

Tennis officials told Australian Associated Press there was “an ongoing investigation” after Kyrgios stormed off the court after losing the first set 7-6 (7-5) in a tiebreaker to Steve Johnson, in apparent protest against the umpiring of Irishman Fergus Murphy.

Kyrgios failed to front media in Shanghai but later apologised to fans, insisting he had been battling a stomach bug and had a bad shoulder.

His walk-off comes after the volatile star was suspended from the ATP Tour for tanking at the same tournament 12 months ago.

Cameras caught the 22-year-old hot-head abusing the umpire and threatening to quit the match if replays proved officials’ line calls to be wrong.

Kyrgios had received two code violations for unsportsmanlike conduct, the first for smashing a ball out of the stadium, and expressed his dismay at Murphy for copping a point penalty after swearing during the tiebreaker.

Kyrgios was in command of the breaker leading 4-2, only to erupt when he was delayed on serve.

Officials reportedly mistakenly allowed spectators to enter the arena when the two combatants changed ends and, already agitated, Kyrgios exploded.

“This is normal. You wait for 20 minutes to have to serve. Poor officiating by you. You are a joke,” he fumed.

“You think this place could not get any more ridiculous, **** like this happens,” Kyrgios then told his courtside entourage. “What is he doing?”

He was also picked up on TV telling his camp he’d stop if he lost the set, which he did. Kyrgios called Johnson to the net, shook hands and then also shook hands with Murphy without making eye contact.

Later Kyrgios said in a statement: “Guys, I want to apologise to the fans in Shanghai and those that watched around the world on TV today. I’ve been battling a stomach bug for 24 hours and I tried to be ready but I was really struggling on the court today which I think was pretty evident from the first point.

“My shoulder started to hurt in the practice today which didn’t help either and once I lost the first set i was just not strong enough to continue because I have not eaten much in the past 24 hours.

“I’m hoping to be OK for the doubles and will make a decision tomorrow morning, hopefully off a good night’s sleep which I didn’t get last night.”

Kyrgios is partnering Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the doubles, with the pair teaming for a first-round win in Shanghai the night after Kyrgios lost to Rafael Nadal in the China Open final.

Kyrgios had been making a run towards the season-ending World Tour Finals before handing Johnson a mid-match walkover.

He was sitting 15th in the Race to London, where the top eight players of the year will assemble for the prestigious round-robin event.

But he will now almost certainly come under serious scrutiny from officials for quitting a match at the very same venue where he was accused of not giving his best efforts 12 months ago.

Kyrgios also received two code violations during his loss to Nadal two days ago after losing his cool over an unfavourable line call in the first game of the final.

“I’m gutted to be honest as I was keen to keep the good momentum that I built in Beijing going and finish the year strong,” Kyrgios said.

“I’ll do what I can to make sure I do.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...rt-after-losing-first-set-at-shanghai-masters

 

[Wonderwoman]

Ban him for a year! such a prima Donna

 

[MenInG]

Shanghai - Temperamental Australian Nick Kyrgios was fined $10 000 and lost another $21 085 in prize money on Wednesday after storming off midway through his first-round match at the Shanghai Masters.

Roger Federer meanwhile struggled past Argentine Diego Schwartzman, but Rafael Nadal raced into the third round as he attempts to win one of the rare tournaments that has eluded him.

But it was the 22-year-old Kyrgios who was again in the spotlight following what was just his latest controversy on Tuesday.

The ATP said it had fined Kyrgios for unsportsmanlike conduct and he will not collect his prize money because he failed to get signed off for a medical after retiring from his match against Steve Johnson.

Kyrgios's time at the Shanghai Masters is over after he also pulled out of his scheduled doubles match with Frenchman Lucas Pouille on Wednesday.

He apologised after walking off court on Tuesday, having lost the first-set tie break.

In a statement posted on Twitter a few hours later he said that he had a "stomach bug" and had hurt his shoulder.

It was a nasty case of deja vu for the world number 21 - a year ago he argued with spectators and was accused of giving away points in a defeat in Shanghai.

The talented but fiery Kyrgios was consequently fined and suspended.

His immediate future in tennis is again under threat following Tuesday's incident, when he hastily exited the court with jeers and boos ringing in his ears.

It came after he complained about the umpire and spectators in the arena, and was docked a point penalty for the second match running because of his conduct, which included blasting a ball out of the court in a flash of rage.

Swiss legend Federer was far from his best against Schwartzman and next faces another potential banana skin in Ukrainian qualifier Alexandr Dolgopolov.

There were 24 places in the rankings between number two Federer and Schwartzman and a significant height difference - Federer towering over the 170cm (five foot seven inch) Argentine.

But Schwartzman cut the 185cm Federer down to size and an unusually error-strewn performance from Federer was summed up when he squandered an easy backhand volley at the net to go to the first-set tie break, which the Swiss eventually won 7/4.

Still Schwartzman refused to go quietly in the second set, before Federer went through 7-6, 6-4.

"Tough match, I knew going in it was not going to be easy," said Federer, 36.

"He's had a great run in recent weeks and months, I really felt that he was confident, shaking off misses no problem.

"But I think I served well, I had good concentration, had good energy as well, which I think is always important early on in a tournament."

Nadal was fast in dumping out the American Jared Donaldson in 54 minutes, but rising star Alexander Zverev was even faster -- on court for just 12 minutes when Britain's Aljaz Bedene retired hurt.

The 20-year-old Zverev, the German prodigy, faces 16th seed Juan Martin del Potro on Thursday in arguably the match of the day.

Top seed Nadal takes on the colourful Italian Fabio Fognini and said he was hoping to keep hold of the world number one spot from old rival Federer at the end of the year.

"If that happens will be I think a very important achievement for me," said the 31-year-old Spaniard, fresh from winning the China Open in Beijing.

"(It) will be number one four times in my career at the end of the season with so many years of difference (between the first time and this), I think that is something very difficult."

Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria's sixth seed, had an almighty scare and saved three match points before pulling through against the American Ryan Harrison.

Also through in Shanghai, where matches were forced indoors because of the rain, were Gilles Simon of France, Sam Querrey of the United States, Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff and Kyrgios's conqueror Johnson.

Collated results from the ATP Shanghai Masters on Wednesday:

Second round

Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4

Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5)

Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 6-4

John Isner (USA x12) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (9/7)

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA x11) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/2)

Steve Johnson (USA) bt Wu Di (CHN) 6-2, 6-1

Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Jared Donaldson (USA) 6-2, 6-1

Sam Querrey (USA x10) bt Francis Tiafoe (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7)

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x6) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)

Alexander Zverev (GER x3) bt Aljaz Bedene (GBR) 4-0 retired

Gilles Simon (FRA) bt David Goffin (BEL x8) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3

http://www.sport24.co.za/Tennis/ATPTour/kyrgios-fined-for-storming-off-court-in-shanghai-20171011-2

 

[MenInG]

Australian Nick Kyrgios accused a line judge of "rigging the game" and swore at the umpire in his first-round win at Queen's.

Kyrgios, 24, also berated himself for "playing Fifa until 3am" before beating Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena.

The world number 39 ranted at umpire Fergus Murphy after losing a set point which he thought was a double fault.

Kyrgios then lost 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 to teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime in his second match of the day.

Kyrgios was given a code violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour after his first tirade at Murphy, in which he said: "It couldn't have been further out. What are you doing?"

That did not stop him continuing to question the integrity of the officials and threatening to walk off court.

"The ball was this far out on the second serve. I'm going," he added.

"I'm not going to give 100% when I've got linesmen rigging the game; I don't want to play."

His other antics included peering over a fence at a changeover to watch Gilles Simon's match against Kevin Anderson on the adjacent court, trying to fist-bump with a line judge and mocking the umpire's choice of headwear.

"It's a joke, man. It's a serious joke," he said to Murphy. "Like your hat looks ridiculous, also. It's not even sunny."

Despite his angry outbursts, Kyrgios went on to win 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to set up a second-round match against Canadian Auger-Aliassime.

Rain delays meant the Australian had to play that game later on Thursday and he was disruptive then too, getting a warning for hitting a ball out of the stadium.

He also served underarm, overruled one line call in his opponent's favour and was unhappy with a camerawoman who took his photo as he blew his nose.